Automatic valve or gate for weirs or the like.



H. ficHLBR. AUTOMATIC VALVE 0R GATE FOR WBIBS OR THE LIKE.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, 1909.

952,725. Patented Mar. 22, 1910.

Witnesses. 2 W

To (tllfllfltofll' it may concern 1i1TEDfSTATES PATENT-OFFICE. 1

' HANS'BfiCHLER,"OE URICH, SWITZERLAND, Assmnon T sTAUwEnnn G;, "or zpRIoK-swnrz'ERLAND;

nu'roivmmc VALVE OR/GATE FOR wmns on min LIKE.

v. Be it kllOWIlet-hfli} I, HANS Bt'ioHLEa, a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, residing, at Schiintalgasse 19,'Zurich,Switzerland, have.inventedzcertain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Valves or'Gates for lVeirs' or theLike; and'I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilledjirtlie art to which it appertainsto make and use the same, reference being. had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a; part of this specifica- My invention relates to automatic valves or gates for weirs or the like and has for its ob e t, the structure of-such a valve or gate to maintain adelivery of a constant quantity of Water from a dominant pool (pond, lake or canal) between maximum and minimum levels.

Referring to the drawings in which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of one form of such a valve or gate embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of another form. Fig. 3 is a like view of a third form and Fig. 4 is a like view of a fourth form of valve or gate.

Referrin more particularly to Fig. 1, a is the upper" evel of the dominant pool; I) the bottom, of the dominant pool and race-way, weir or the like. Pivoted above the bottom I) of the race-way is the automatically operating valve or gate 1 pivoted at 2 and having a body portion 3 substantially straight on one side of the pivot point 2 and a curved delivery portion 3 on the other side of the pivot point 2.. The curvature of the curved elivcry portion is such as to conform to the curvature of the water in passing through the orifice or delivery opening between the bottom of the race-way b and the valve or gate 1, and is designed so as to produce as small an amount of contraction as possible. The valve or gate 1 is shown in full lines in its position for maximum, operative, high water level and in its dotted line position 4 of minimum operative low water level in the dominant pool.

The valve or gate is me unted with respect to the weir or race-way so as to always maintain a space between the bottom thereof and the lower endj of the valve, in other words Specification of Letters Patent' application filed September 28, 1909. Seria1 1 Io.519,9'53. I

the valve only has a throttling efl'ect on a part'of the area of the-delivery orifice,ofthe weir or race-way to such a. degree-as.toanaintain the quantity of water passing through it constant for under varying ,hy.drostatie pressure due to change of level inthc dominant, pool. The pivot point 2 is so, placed ,-with a respect to the valve or gate l that the gate remains substantially balanced under all conditions of operation "between maximum and minimumlevels of the dominant pool- The operation is such that as soon as the, level of. the. water in the -dominant pool sinks the relation of the pressures on theup per and the lower,portionsfof'thewalvze.due to hydrostatic and hydronamic 'pressur will cause the valve to move co int er-iclockwise.

ateilt-eu ar. 22; 1 9.10. 7

The pressure on that por'tion off the valve.

portion "and thereby inciiease the areaglof I the delivery orifice of the weiror' race-way and automatically maintain a quantity of Water delivered to the race-way constant and this movement of the valve will continue until the pressures above and below the pivot point become again balanced.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a modification in which the gate or valve 1 is connected by a flexible member 5'to a pivot point 6 on a transverse beam or the like 7 provided with a curved face 7" againstwhich the gate 1 hasa shifting pivot.

In Fig. 3. I have shown the valve 1 as provided with a cylinder 8 to which is connected a flexible member 5*. one end of which member is connected to the cylinder at 9 and the other end of which is connected at. 10 to a cross beam 7 having a curved end face 11 on which the cylinder is capable of rolling when the valve 1 moves counterclockwise and also forms with the cylinder a shifting pivot.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the valve 1' as pivoted at 2 on an arm 12. The valve or gateis connected to the arm 12 on one side of the pivot point and that portion of the arm 12 which extends on the other side of the pivot point is provided with 'a,..c'urved end 13 to which is connected at 14 a flexible suspending element 15 whose lower end carries a weight 16. The counter-clockwise movement of the valve 1 will cause the weight 16 to swing inward toward the pivot 2 and thereby to shorten the effective length dominant pool, thereby .quantity of Water flowing past said valve 'i substantially constant at all times.

under all conditions of operation between maximum. and [minimum water level ofthe mamtaining the 2. In combination with a dominant pool and'a race-way leading therefrom, a valve at all times distant from the bottom of therace-way, a pivot for said valve and the lowerendof the valve curved under its axis of rotation in the out-flow direction,-

thereby maintaining the quantity of water v flowing past said. va e substantially constant at all times.-

3. In combination with a dominant pool and a race-way leading'therefrom, a valve at all times distant from the bottom of the raceway, a shifting pivot for said valve, the lower end of which 1s curved and lies under tion, ther'e y maintaining the quantity of Water fiowin past said valve. substantially the' shifting pivot in all conditions of operaconstant at a 1 times.

4. In combination with a dominant pool and a race-way leading therefrom, a valve pivoted to'move on a horizontal axis, the lower end of the valve at all timesdistant from the bottom of the race-way and being balanced by the upper portion. of the valve underallv conditions of operation between the maximum and minimum water level of the dominant pool, thereby maintaining the quantity of Water flowing past said, valve substantially constant at all times and counter-balancing means for the valve.

5. In combination with a dominant pool and a race-way leading therefrom, a valve pivoted to move on. a horizontal axis, the lower end of the valve at all times distant from the bottom of the race-way and being,

balanced by the upper portion of the valve under all conditions .ofoperation between the maximum and minimum water level of a the dominant pool, thereby maintaining the quantity of Water flowin past said valve substantially constant at a 1 times and counter-balancing means for the valve'comprising a weighted lever arm.

In testlmony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HANS BUOHLER.

Witnesses:

ERNST TILLMANNS, CARL Gnsnnn. 

